Methods for fabricating a coating for implantable medical devices

ABSTRACT

Methods for fabricating coatings for implantable medical devices are disclosed. The coatings include hydrophilic and hydrophobic components. The methods provide for treatment of the coatings to cause enrichment a region close to, at or on the outer surface of the coating with the hydrophilic component.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/375,620, filed on Feb. 26, 2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed to coatings for drug delivery devices, such as drug eluting vascular stents, and methods for producing the same.

2. Description of the State of the Art

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a procedure for treating heart disease. A catheter assembly having a balloon portion is introduced percutaneously into the cardiovascular system of a patient via the brachial or femoral artery. The catheter assembly is advanced through the coronary vasculature until the balloon portion is positioned across the occlusive lesion. Once in position across the lesion, the balloon is inflated to a predetermined size to radially compress against the atherosclerotic plaque of the lesion to remodel the lumen wall. The balloon is then deflated to a smaller profile to allow the catheter to be withdrawn from the patient's vasculature.

A problem associated with the above procedure includes formation of intimal flaps or torn arterial linings which can collapse and occlude the conduit after the balloon is deflated. Moreover, thrombosis and restenosis of the artery may develop over several months after the procedure, which may require another angioplasty procedure or a surgical by-pass operation. To reduce the partial or total occlusion of the artery by the collapse of arterial lining and to reduce the chance of the development of thrombosis and restenosis, a stent is implanted in the lumen to maintain the vascular patency.

Stents are used not only as a mechanical intervention but also as a vehicle for providing biological therapy. As a mechanical intervention, stents act as scaffoldings, functioning to physically hold open and, if desired, to expand the wall of the passageway. Typically, stents are capable of being compressed, so that they can be inserted through small vessels via catheters, and then expanded to a larger diameter once they are at the desired location. Examples in patent literature disclosing stents which have been applied in PTCA procedures include stents illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 issued to Palmaz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 issued to Gianturco, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 issued to Wiktor. Biological therapy can be achieved by medicating the stents. Medicated stents provide for the local administration of a therapeutic substance at the diseased site. In order to provide an efficacious concentration to the treated site, systemic administration of such medication often produces adverse or toxic side effects for the patient. Local delivery is a preferred method of treatment in that smaller total levels of medication are administered in comparison to systemic dosages, but are concentrated at a specific site. Local delivery thus produces fewer side effects and achieves more favorable results. One proposed method for medicating stents involves the use of a polymeric carrier coated onto the surface of a stent. A solution which includes a solvent, a polymer dissolved in the solvent, and a therapeutic substance dispersed in the blend is applied to the stent. The solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving on the stent surface a coating of the polymer and the therapeutic substance impregnated in the polymer.

Local administration of therapeutic agents via stents has shown some favorable results in reducing restenosis. However, the properties of stent coatings can be improved. For example, when the outermost layer of the coating comprises a blend of hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers, the hydrophobic polymers tend to bloom to coating-air interface. Yet, in many applications it is highly desirable to have hydrophilic polymers evolve at the coating-air interface to provide the stent coating with better blood compatibility, biological activity and non-fouling properties. Accordingly, the present invention discloses such improved stent coatings and methods for fabricating thereof.

SUMMARY

A method for fabricating a coating for an implantable medical device is disclosed, comprising forming a coating layer on the device, the coating layer including a hydrophobic component and a hydrophilic component and promoting the migration of the hydrophilic component towards the surface of the coating layer of the device, wherein the hydrophilic component has a solubility parameter higher than about 8.5 (cal/cm³)^(1/2). In some embodiments, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components are blended. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components are bonded. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components are an interpenetrating polymer network. The implantable medical device can be a stent. The coating layer can include one or a combination of a primer layer, a reservoir layer including a drug and a topcoat layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A coating or coating layer for an implantable medical device, such as a stent, according to one embodiment of the present invention, can include a drug-polymer layer (also referred to as “reservoir” or “reservoir layer”) or alternatively a polymer free drug layer, an optional primer layer and an optional topcoat layer. The drug-polymer layer serves as a reservoir for the drug. The reservoir layer or the polymer free drug layer can be applied directly onto the stent surface. The optional topcoat layer, which can be essentially free from any drugs, serves as a rate limiting membrane which helps to control the rate of release of the drug. The optional primer layer can be applied on the stent surface to improve the adhesion of the drug-polymer layer or the polymer free drug layer to the stent.

The reservoir layer and the optional primer and topcoat layers of the coating can be formed on the stent by dissolving a polymer or a blend of polymers in a solvent, or a mixture of solvents, and applying the resulting polymer solution on the stent by spraying or immersing the stent in the solution. To incorporate a drug into the reservoir layer, the drug in a form of a solution can be combined with the polymer solution. Alternatively, to fabricate a polymer free drug layer, the drug can be dissolved in a suitable solvent or mixture of solvents, and the resulting drug solution can be applied on the stent by spraying or immersing the stent in the drug solution.

Instead of introducing the drug in a solution, the drug can be introduced as a colloid system, such as a suspension in an appropriate solvent phase. To make the suspension, the drug can be dispersed in the solvent phase using conventional techniques used in colloid chemistry. Depending on a variety of factors, e.g., the nature of the drug, those having ordinary skill in the art will select the suitable solvent to form the solvent phase of the suspension, as well as the quantity of the drug to be dispersed in the solvent phase. The suspension can be mixed with a polymer solution and the mixture can be applied on the stent as described above. Alternatively, the drug suspension can be applied on the stent without being mixed with the polymer solution.

The outermost layer of the stent coating can be either the topcoat layer or the reservoir layer (if the optional topcoat layer is not used). In some embodiments, the outermost layer of the stent coating is comprised of a blend of polymers, the blend to include one or more hydrophilic polymers and one or more hydrophobic polymers. In some embodiments, the mass ratio between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers in the coating or the outermost layer of the coating can be typically between about 1:100 and 1:9.

Generally, hydrophobicity of a polymer or component in the coating can be gauged using the Hildebrand solubility parameter δ. The term “Hildebrand solubility parameter” refers to a parameter measuring the cohesion of a substance. The δ parameter is determined as follows: δ=(ΔE/V)^(1/2) where δ is the solubility parameter, (cal/cm³)^(1/2);

-   -   ΔE is the energy of vaporization, cal/mole; and     -   V is the molar volume, cm³/mole.

Whichever polymer or component in the combination, mixture, blend, bonding or conjugation has the lower δ value as compared to the δ value of the other component is designated as hydrophobic, and the component with the higher δ value is designated as hydrophilic. If more than two components or polymers are used such as in the combined, mixed, blended, bonded or conjugated chemical, then each can be ranked in order of its δ value. For the practice of the present invention, the value of δ of a particular component or polymer is inconsequential for classifying it as hydrophobic or hydrophilic so long as the difference in the δ values of the two components or polymers is sufficient to allow the hydrophilic part or unit to migrate or bloom to the surface as described below. In some embodiment, the δ value defining the boundary between hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity can be about 8.0 (cal/cm³)^(1/2) (i.e., the hydrophilic component is above about 8.0 (cal/cm³)^(1/2). In some embodiments, the hydrophilic component can have a value above about 8.5, 9.0, 9.5, 10.0, 10.5, 11.0 or 11.5(cal/cm³)^(1/2). In some embodiments, the hydrophobic component can be below about 8.5, 9.0, 9.5, 10.0, 10.5, 11.0 or 11.5(cal/cm³)^(1/2). In some embodiments the hydrophilic component can be a non-fouling component, bioactive component and/or a biobeneficial component in addition to or in lieu of having the Hildebrand value(s) described above. In one embodiment, non-fouling is defined as not capable of adsorbing or attracting proteins, or adsorbing or attracting only a minimal amount of proteins, or less proteins than a compound not having a non-fouling moiety. A “bioactive component” can be a component or moiety that can be combined with a polymer and provides a therapeutic effect, a prophylactic effect, both a therapeutic and a prophylactic effect, or other biologically active effect within a subject. Moreover, the bioactive component may remain linked to a portion of the polymer or be released from the polymer. A “biobeneficial component” can be a substance that can be combined with a polymer and provide a biological benefit within a subject without necessarily being released from the polymer.

Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVAL) is one example of a polymer that can be utilized as a hydrophobic component to fabricate the reservoir layer or the topcoat layer. EVAL can be used to make the optional primer layer as well. EVAL is a product of hydrolysis of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers and has the general formula —[CH₂—CH₂]_(m)—[CH₂—CH(OH)]_(n)—. EVAL may also include a terpolymer having up to about 5 molar % of units derived from styrene, propylene and other suitable unsaturated monomers. A brand of copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol distributed commercially under the trade name EVAL by Aldrich Chemical Co. of Milwaukee, Wis., can be used.

Other examples of hydrophobic and hydrophilic components that can be used include polyacrylates, such as poly(butyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), and poly(ethyl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate), and fluorinated polymers and/or copolymers, such as poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propene), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(hydroxyvalerate), poly(L-lactic acid), polycaprolactone, poly(lactide-co-glycolide), poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate), polydioxanone, polyorthoester, polyanhydride, poly(glycolic acid), poly(D,L-lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid-co-trimethylene carbonate), polyphosphoester, polyphosphoester urethane, poly(amino acids), cyanoacrylates, poly(trimethylene carbonate), poly(iminocarbonate), co-poly(ether-esters), polyalkylene oxalates, polyphosphazenes, biomolecules (such as fibrin, fibrinogen, cellulose, starch, collagen and hyaluronic acid), polyurethanes, silicones, polyesters, polyolefins, polyisobutylene and ethylene-alphaolefin copolymers, vinyl halide polymers and copolymers (such as polyvinyl chloride), polyvinyl ethers (such as polyvinyl methyl ether), polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl ketones, polyvinyl aromatics (such as polystyrene), polyvinyl esters (such as polyvinyl acetate), copolymers of vinyl monomers with each other and olefins (such as ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymers, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers, ABS resins, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers), polyamides (such as Nylon 66 and polycaprolactam), alkyd resins, polycarbonates, polyoxymethylenes, polyimides, polyethers, epoxy resins, polyurethanes, rayon, rayon-triacetate, cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellophane, cellulose nitrate, cellulose propionate, cellulose ethers, and carboxymethyl cellulose.

Representative examples of some solvents suitable for making the stent coatings include N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), tethrahydrofurane (THF), cyclohexanone, xylene, toluene, acetone, i-propanol, methyl ethyl ketone, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, methyl butyl ketone, ethyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, and dioxane. Some solvent mixtures can be used as well. Representative examples of the mixtures include:

-   -   (1) DMAC and methanol (e.g., a 50:50 by mass mixture);     -   (2) water, i-propanol, and DMAC (e.g., a 10:3:87 by mass         mixture);     -   (3) i-propanol and DMAC (e.g., 80:20, 50:50, or 20:80 by mass         mixtures);     -   (4) acetone and cyclohexanone (e.g., 80:20, 50:50, or 20:80 by         mass mixtures);     -   (5) acetone and xylene (e.g. a 50:50 by mass mixture);     -   (6) acetone, FLUX REMOVER AMS, and xylene (e.g., a 10:50:40 by         mass mixture); and

(7) 1,1,2-trichloroethane and chloroform (e.g., a 80:20 by mass mixture).

FLUX REMOVER AMS is trade name of a solvent manufactured by Tech Spray, Inc. of Amarillo, Tex. comprising about 93.7% of a mixture of 3,3-dichloro-1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane and 1,3-dichloro-1,1,2,2,3-pentafluoropropane, and the balance of methanol, with trace amounts of nitromethane. Those having ordinary skill in the art will select the solvent or a mixture of solvents suitable for a particular polymer being dissolved.

Following the formation of the stent coating comprising hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers or components, the coating can be treated to enrich the surface with the hydrophilic polymer(s) or component(s). The coating can be dry, i.e., completely solvent free or wet, i.e., having any amount to solvent during the treatment process. The stent coating referred to herein can include the reservoir layer, the topcoat layer, an outermost layer or a combination of any layers including the primer layer. In order to enrich the surface with hydrophilic component(s) or polymer(s), various methods of treatment of the stent coating can be used. According to one method of the post-coating treatment, the coated stent can be exposed to the environment of a humidifying chamber. The length of such treatment can be between about 12 hours and 28 hours, for example, about 24 hours, at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 80° C., more narrowly, between about 45° C. and about 60° C., for example, about 50° C. and relative humidity of about 90% to about 100%. Any commercially available humidifying chamber can be used. As a result of the exposure of the stent to high humidity levels at elevated temperatures, water is expected to be deposited on the surface of the stent coating. Water will gradually extract the hydrophilic polymer to the coating surface leading to migration of the hydrophilic polymer and its blooming to the coating-air interface.

According to another method of the post-coating treatment, the coated stent can be physically placed on a film of a hydrogel, for example, a poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel, and gently rolled back and forth a number of times covering the entire circumference of the stent. For example, the coated stent can be rolled in the described fashion between 5 and 10 times, while a pressure of between about 1 atm and 3 atm is applied to the stent when it is being rolled. The physical contact between the film of the hydrogel and the stent coating can alter the coating-air interface, resulting in extraction of the hydrophilic polymer and its blooming to the coating-air interface.

According to yet another method of the post-coating treatment, the coated stent can be cooled or chilled at a temperature below ambient temperature. In some embodiments between about 4° C. and about −20° C. for a period of time between about 30 minutes and about 2 hours. Following the cooling process, the stent can be either exposed to ambient air for about 24 hours, or treated in the humidifying chamber as described above. This procedure is expected to lead to condensation of water on the surface of the coating, resulting in extraction of the hydrophilic polymer and its blooming to the coating-air interface.

Optionally, any combination of the three methods of the post-coating treatment described above can be used, if desired. As another option, following the post-coating treatment, the coated stent can be heated to a temperature which is about equal to the glass transition temperature (T_(g)) of the hydrophobic component of the coating.

In another embodiment, instead of a blend of a hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymer, an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) can be used to make the outermost layer of the stent coating, the IPN includes at least one hydrophobic component and at least one hydrophilic component. For the purposes of the present invention, the definition of the IPN used by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is adopted. The IUPAC describes the IPN as a polymer comprising two or more networks which are at least partially interlaced on a molecular scale, to form both chemical and physical bonds between the networks. The networks of an IPN cannot be separated unless chemical bonds are broken. In other words, an IPN structure represents two or more polymer networks that are partially chemically cross-linked and partially physically entangled. One example of an IPN that can be used is a surface hydrogel.

One example of a product that can be used for forming the IPN is a PEG-based unsaturated product, for example, pre-polymer of PEG-acrylate or PEG-methacrylate having a general formula CH₂═CX—COO—[CH₂—CH2—O]_(n)—H, where X is hydrogen (acrylates) or methyl (methacrylates). The molecular weight of PEG-acrylate or methacrylate can be within a range of about 10,000 to 100,00 Daltons. PEG-acrylate or PEG-methacrylate prepolymer can be applied on the surface of the drug-polymer layer or topcoat layer and cured, for example, using a radical initiator which is activated by UV radiation (UV initiators), light (light initiators), or heat (thermal initiators). Examples of appropriate initiators include cetophenone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenol-acetophenone (UV initiators), camproquinone, ethyl-4-N,N,-dimethyl aminobenzoate (light initiators), and benzoyl peroxide (thermal initiator). As a result of the curing process, PEG-acrylate or PEG-methacrylate will partially cross-link and partially physically entangle with the polymer of the underlying drug-polymer layer thus forming the outermost coat layer which includes an IPN. PEG-acrylate or PEG-methacrylate is intended to broadly include poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate (PEG-diacrylate) and poly(ethylene glycol)-dimethacrylate (PEG-dimethacrylate). PEG-acrylate or PEG-methacrylate and PEG-diacrylate or PEG-dimethacrylate can be optionally terminated, for example, with stearic acid, to form PEG-acrylate-stearate or PEG-methacrylate-stearate, respectively.

Examples of other products that can be used for forming the IPN include such unsaturated reactive products as N-vinylpyrrolidone, heparin and its derivatives, hyaluronic acid and its derivatives,'some hydrogel-forming products such as poly(butyleneterephthalate-co-ethylene glycol) (PBT-PEG), and mixtures of any of these products with each other or with PEG-acrylate or PEG-methacrylate. A type of PBT-PEG polymers is also known under a trade name POLYACTIVE and is available from IsoTis Corp. of Holland.

After the IPN-based outermost coating has been formed, it can be subjected to a post-coating treatment to cause blooming or migration of the hydrophilic component of the IPN to the coating-air interface. For example, any method of the post-coating treatment described above, or any combination thereof, can be used.

One kind of an IPN is a hydrogel. If it is desirable to include a hydrogel in the outermost layer of the stent coating, PBT-PEG can be used as a hydrogel-forming product. BT-PEG can be utilized for fabricating not only the outermost layer (e.g., the topcoat layer) of the coating but for making all other layers of the stent-coating (e.g., the primer layer or the drug-polymer layer) as well. In one embodiment, the stent coating can include only PBT-PEG and be free of any other polymers. The molecular weight of the PEG portion of the PBT-PEG polymer can be between about 300 and about 4,000 Daltons. In PBT-PEG polymer, the units derived from ethylene glycol (“the PEG units”) can constitute between about 40 and about 90 molar % of the total PBT-PEG polymer. For example, the PEG units can constitute between about 55 and about 80 molar % of the total PBT-PEG polymer.

The active agent or a drug can include any substance capable of exerting a therapeutic or prophylactic effect in the practice of the present invention. The drug may include small molecule drugs, peptides, proteins, oligonucleotides, and the like. Examples of drugs include antiproliferative substances such as actinomycin D, or derivatives and analogs thereof. Synonyms of actinomycin D include dactinomycin, actinomycin IV, actinomycin I₁, actinomycin X₁, and actinomycin C₁. The active agent can also fall under the genus of antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, antifibrin, antithrombin, antimitotic, antibiotic, antiallergic and antioxidant substances. Examples of such antineoplastics and/or antimitotics include paclitaxel, docetaxel, methotrexate, azathioprine, vincristine, vinblastine, fluorouracil, doxorubicin, hydrochloride, and mitomycin. Examples of such antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrin, and antithrombins include sodium heparin, low molecular weight heparins, heparinoids, hirudin, argatroban, forskolin, vapiprost, prostacyclin and prostacyclin analogs, dextran, D-phe-pro-arg-chloromethylketone (synthetic antithrombin), dipyridamole, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa platelet membrane receptor antagonist antibody, recombinant hirudin, and thrombin. Examples of such cytostatic or antiproliferative agents include angiopeptin, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors such as captopril, cilazapril or lisinopril, calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine), coichicine, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) antagonists, fish oil (ω-3-fatty acid), histamine antagonists, lovastatin (an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, a cholesterol lowering drug), monoclonal antibodies (such as those specific for Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) receptors), nitroprusside, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, prostaglandin inhibitors, suramin, serotonin blockers, steroids, thioprotease inhibitors, triazolopyrimidine (a PDGF antagonist), and nitric oxide. An example of an antiallergic agent is permirolast potassium.

Other therapeutic substances or agents which may be appropriate include alpha-interferon; genetically engineered epithelial cells; rapamycin and structural derivatives or functional analogs thereof, such as 40-O-(2-hydroxy)ethyl-rapamycin (known by the trade name of everolimus available from Novartis), 40-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-rapamycin, 40-O-[2-(2-hydroxy)ethoxy]ethyl-rapamycin, and 40-O-tetrazole-rapamycin, tacrolimus, and dexamethasone.

The coatings and methods of the present invention have been described with reference to a stent, such as a balloon expandable or self-expandable stent. The use of the coating is not limited to stents, however, and the coating can also be used with a variety of other medical devices. Examples of the implantable medical device, that can be used in conjunction with the embodiments of this invention include stent-grafts, grafts (e.g., aortic grafts), artificial heart valves, cerebrospinal fluid shunts, pacemaker electrodes, axius coronary shunts and endocardial leads (e.g., FINELINE and ENDOTAK, available from Guidant Corporation). The underlying structure of the device can be of virtually any design. The device can be made of a metallic material or an alloy such as, but not limited to, cobalt-chromium alloys (e.g., ELGILOY), stainless steel (316L), “MP35N,” “MP20N,” ELASTINITE (Nitinol), tantalum, tantalum-based alloys, nickel-titanium alloy, platinum, platinum-based alloys such as, e.g., platinum-iridium alloy, iridium, gold, magnesium, titanium, titanium-based alloys, zirconium-based alloys, or combinations thereof. Devices made from bioabsorbable or biostable polymers can also be used with the embodiments of the present invention.

“MP35N” and “MP20N” are trade names for alloys of cobalt, nickel, chromium and molybdenum available from Standard Press Steel Co. of Jenkintown, Pa. “MP35N” consists of 35% cobalt, 35% nickel, 20% chromium, and 10% molybdenum. “MP20N” consists of 50% cobalt, 20% nickel, 20% chromium, and 10% molybdenum.

Embodiments of the present invention can be further illustrated by the following set forth examples.

EXAMPLE 1

A first composition can be prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) between about 1.0 mass % and about 15 mass %, for example,         about 2.0 mass % EVAL; and     -   (b) the balance, DMAC solvent.

The first composition can be applied onto the surface of a bare 13 mm TETRA stent (available from Guidant Corporation) by spraying and dried to form a primer layer. A spray coater can be used having a 0.014 fan nozzle maintained at about 60° C. with a feed pressure of about 0.2 atm (about 3 psi) and an atomization pressure of about 1.3 atm (about 20 psi). About 70 μg of the wet coating can be applied. The primer can be baked at about 140° C. for about 2 hours, yielding a dry primer layer.

A second composition can be prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) between about 1.0 mass % and about 15 mass %, for example,         about 2.0 mass % EVAL;     -   (b) between about 0.05 mass % and about 2.0 mass %, for example,         about 1.0 mass % everolimus; and     -   (c) the balance, DMAC solvent.

The second composition can be applied onto the dried primer layer to form the reservoir layer, using the same spraying technique and equipment used for applying the primer layer. About 400 μg of the wet coating can be applied, followed by drying, e.g., by baking as described above.

A third composition can be prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) between about 1.0 mass % and about 15 mass %, for example,         about 2.0 mass % EVAL;     -   (b) between about 0.5 mass % and about 5.0 mass %, for example,         about 1.0 mass % poly(ethylene glycol) having molecular weight         of about 17,500; and     -   (c) the balance, a solvent mixture comprising DMAC and ethanol         (EtOH) in a mass ratio DMAC:EtOH of about 4:1.

The third composition can be applied onto the dried reservoir layer to form a topcoat layer, using the same spraying technique and equipment used for applying the primer layer and the reservoir layer. About 200 μg of the wet coating can be applied, followed by drying, e.g., by baking as described above.

The coated stent can be placed in a humidifying chamber for about 24 hours, at a temperature of about 50° C. and relative humidity of about 100%, followed by removing the stent from the humidifying chamber and drying.

EXAMPLE 2

The stent can be coated as described in Example 1, except when preparing the composition for fabricating the topcoat layer, instead of poly(ethylene glycol) having molecular weight of about 17,500, poly(ethylene glycol)-stearate having molecular weight of about 4,000 can be used.

The coated stent can be treated in the humidifying chamber as described in Example 1.

EXAMPLE 3

The stent can be coated as described in Example 1. The coated stent can be can be placed in a refrigerating unit and exposed to a temperature of about −10° C. for about 1 hour. Following the cooling process, the stent can be dried in the ambient atmosphere for about 24 hours.

EXAMPLE 4

A first composition was prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) about 2.0 mass % PBT-PEG; and     -   (b) the balance, a solvent blend, the blend comprising         1,1,2-tricloroethane and chloroform in a mass ratio between         1,1,2-tricloroethane and chloroform of about 4:1.

The brand of PBT-PEG that was used had about 45 molar % units derived from PBT and about 55 molar % units derived from PEG. The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 300 Daltons. The first composition was applied onto the surface of a bare 13 mm PENTA stent (available from Guidant Corporation) by spraying and dried to form a primer layer. The primer was baked at about 140° C. for about 1 hour, yielding a dry primer layer having solids content of about 100 μg. “Solids” means the amount of the dry residue deposited on the stent after all volatile organic compounds (e.g., the solvent) have been removed.

A second composition was prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) about 2 mass % PBT-PEG;     -   (b) about 2 mass % everolimus; and     -   (c) the balance, the blend of 1,1,2-tricloroethane and         chloroform described above.

The same brand of PBT-PEG as that utilized for making the primer layer was used. The second composition was applied onto the dried primer layer to form the reservoir layer. The second composition was baked at about 50° C. for about 1 hour, yielding a dry reservoir layer having solids content of about 300 μg.

A third composition was prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) about 2.0 mass % PBT-PEG having about 20 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 80 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 4,000 Daltons;         and     -   (b) the balance, the blend of 1,1,2-tricloroethane and         chloroform described above.

The third composition was applied onto the dried reservoir layer to form a topcoat layer. The third composition was baked at about 50° C. for about 2 hours, yielding a dry topcoat layer having solids content of about 100 μg.

EXAMPLE 5

A stent was coated with a primer layer and a reservoir layer as described in Example 4. A composition was prepared, comprising:

-   -   (a) about 1.0 mass % PBT-PEG having about 45 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 55 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 300 Daltons;     -   (b) about 1.0 mass % PBT-PEG having about 20 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 80 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 4,000 Daltons;         and     -   (c) the balance, the blend of 1,1,2-tricloroethane and         chloroform described above.

The composition was applied onto the dried reservoir layer and dried to form a topcoat layer, as described in Example 4. The topcoat layer had solids content of about 100 μg.

EXAMPLE 6

A stent was coated with a primer layer and a reservoir layer as described in Example 4. A composition was prepared, comprising:

-   -   (a) about 1.0 mass % PBT-PEG having about 45 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 55 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 300 Daltons;     -   (b) about 1.0 mass % PBT-PEG having about 40 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 60 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 1,000 Daltons;         and     -   (c) the balance, 1,4-dioxane solvent.

The composition was applied onto the dried reservoir layer and dried to form a topcoat layer, as described in Example 4. The topcoat layer had solids content of about 100 μg.

EXAMPLE 7

A stent was coated with a primer layer described in Example 4. A first composition was prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) about 2 mass % PBT-PEG;     -   (b) about 2 mass % paclitaxel; and     -   (c) the balance, the blend of 1,1,2-tricloroethane and         chloroform described above.

The same brand of PBT-PEG as that utilized for making the primer layer was used. The first composition was applied onto the dried primer layer and dried to form a reservoir layer, as described in Example 4. The reservoir layer had solids content of about 300 μg.

A second composition was prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) about 1.5 mass % PBT-PEG having about 45 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 55 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 300 Daltons;     -   (b) about 0.5 mass % PBT-PEG having about 20 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 80 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 4,000 Daltons;         and     -   (c) the balance, the blend of 1,1,2-tricloroethane and         chloroform described above.

The composition was applied onto the dried reservoir layer and dried to form a topcoat layer, as described in Example 4. The topcoat layer had solids content of about 100 μg.

EXAMPLE 8

A stent was coated with a primer layer and a reservoir layer as described in Example 7. A composition was prepared, comprising:

-   -   (a) about mass 1.0 % of PBT-PEG having about 45 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 55 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 300 Daltons; and     -   (b) 1.0 about mass % PBT-PEG having about 20 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 80 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 4,000 Daltons;     -   (c) the balance, the blend of 1,1,2-tricloroethane and         chloroform described above.

The composition was applied onto the dried reservoir layer and dried to form a topcoat layer, as described in Example 7. The topcoat layer had solids content of about 100 μg.

EXAMPLE 9

A 12 mm VISION stent (available from Guidant Corp.) was coated with a primer layer described in Example 4. A first composition was prepared by mixing the following components:

-   -   (a) about 2 mass % everolimus; and     -   (b) the balance a the blend of acetone and xylene in a mass         ratio between acetone and xylene of about 2:3.

The first composition was applied onto the dried primer layer to form the reservoir layer. The first composition was baked at about 50° C. for about 1 hour, yielding a dry reservoir layer having solids content of about 200 μg.

A second composition was prepared, comprising:

-   -   (a) about 2.0 mass % of PBT-PEG having about 45 molar % units         derived from PBT and about 55 molar % units derived from PEG.         The molecular weight of the PEG units was about 300 Daltons; and     -   (b) the balance, the blend of 1,1,2-tricloroethane and         chloroform described above.

The second composition was applied onto the dried reservoir layer and dried to form a topcoat layer, as described in Example 4.

The coating compositions discussed in Examples 1-9 are summarized in Table 1.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention. TABLE 1 Stent Coatings of Examples 1-9 Primer Reservoir Topcoat Example Polymer Polymer Drug Polymer 1 EVAL EVAL everolimus 1. EVAL 2. PEG (EVAL:PEG ratio is 2:1) 2 EVAL EVAL everolimus 1. EVAL 2. PEG-stearate (EVAL:PEG-stearate ratio is 2:1) 3 EVAL EVAL everolimus 1. EVAL 2. PEG (EVAL:PEG ratio is 2:1) 4 PBT-PEG PBT-PEG everolimus PBT-PEG PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 20 mol. %; PEG - 80 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG's MW = 4,000 PEG's MW*⁾ = 300 PEG's MW = 300 5 PBT-PEG PBT-PEG everolimus (1) PBT-PEG PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. %; PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG's MW = 300 PEG's MW = 300 PEG's MW = 300 (2) PBT-PEG PBT - 20 mol. %; PEG - 80 mol. % PEG's MW = 4,000 Ratio (1) PBT-PEG:(2) PBT-PEG = 1:1 6 PBT-PEG PBT-PEG everolimus (1) PBT-PEG PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. %; PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG's MW = 300 PEG's MW = 300 PEG's MW = 300 (2) PBT-PEG PBT - 40 mol. %; PEG - 60 mol. % PEG's MW= 1,000 Ratio (1) PBT-PEG:(2) PBT-PEG = 1:1 7 PBT-PEG PBT-PEG Paclitaxel (1) PBT-PEG PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. %; PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG's MW = 300 PEG's MW = 300 PEG's MW = 300 (2) PBT-PEG PBT - 20 mol. %; PEG - 80 mol. % PEG's MW = 4,000 Ratio (1) PBT-PEG:(2) PBT-PEG = 3:1 8 PBT-PEG PBT-PEG Paclitaxel (1) PBT-PEG PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. %; PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG's MW = 300 PEG's MW = 300 PEG's MW = 300 (2) PBT-PEG PBT - 20 mol. %; PEG - 80 mol. % PEG's MW = 4,000 Ratio (1) PBT-PEG:(2) PBT-PEG = 1:1 9 PBT-PEG N/A everolimus PBT-PEG PBT-45 mol. % PBT - 45 mol. % PEG-55 mol. % PEG - 55 mol. % PEG's MW*⁾ = 300 PEG's MW*⁾ = 300 *⁾MW is an abbreviation for “molecular weight” 

1. A method for fabricating a coating for an implantable medical device, comprising: (a) forming a coating layer on the device, the coating layer including a hydrophobic component and a hydrophilic component; and (b) promoting the migration of the hydrophilic component towards the surface of the coating layer of the device, wherein the hydrophilic component has a solubility parameter higher than about 8.5 (cal/cm³)^(1/2).
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components are blended.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components are bonded.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components are an interpenetrating polymer network.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device is a stent.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the solubility parameter is higher than about 9.0 (cal/cm³)^(1/2).
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the solubility parameter is higher than about 9.5 (cal/cm³)^(1/2).
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the solubility parameter is higher than about 10.0 (cal/cm³)^(1/2).
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the solubility parameter is higher than about 10.5 (cal/cm³)^(1/2).
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the solubility parameter is higher than about 11.0 (cal/cm³)^(1/2).
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the solubility parameter is higher than about 11.5 (cal/cm³)^(1/2).
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic component has a solubility parameter less than about 11.5 (cal/cm³)^(1/2).
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of promoting causes enrichment of a region close to, at or on the outer surface of the coating with the hydrophilic component.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating layer includes one or a combination of a primer layer, a reservoir layer including a drug and a topcoat layer.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating layer is the outermost layer of a coating construct.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio of the hydrophilic component to the hydrophobic component is between about 1:100 and about 1:9.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the promoting comprises subjecting the device to a humid environment at a selected temperature for a period of time.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the promoting comprises subjecting the device to a temperature below ambient temperature for a period of time followed by exposing the device to ambient atmosphere.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the promoting comprises subjecting the coating layer to a hydrogel.
 20. The method of claim 1, wherein during the promotion of the hydrophilic component, the coating layer is dry.
 21. The method of claim 1, wherein during the promotion of the hydrophilic component, the coating layer is wet. 